Electrical Substation Inspection Robot

Thermal Image Inspection Robot

Auditing power equipment temperature is an effective way to prevent accidents at electrical substations and power grids.

Normally, this task is carried out by a qualified technician who uses a portable thermal vision camera to measure the IR emission intensity of the equipment, thus determine its heat rate.

To prevent accidents, this temperature audit should be conducted on a regular basis.

In some climatic regions, the audit of power equipment is performed in the early morning, when the equipment is covered with atmospheric condensation.

The S3 Mobile Robot has a flexible thermal vision camera and is designed for automated auditing of substation facilities’ power equipment temperatures.

Maintaining trained staff to regularly and safely audit all necessary equipment is costly as an expense that can be eliminated. Additionally, safety is increased with the use of the S3 Mobile Robot as hands-free remote diagnostics at unmanned electrical substations can be collected. If any unsafe conditions were to arise, off-site personnel can be alerted before any person comes into harm’s way.

Outfitted with an automated guidance system, the S3 robot navigates through the entire area of a substation and performs on-the-go scanning of the area’s power equipment with the robot’s onboard pan-tilt, positioner-mounted thermal vision camera.

If above-normal temperature is detected, the IR image processing system identifies an overheat and transmits an alarm signal, along with the thermal image, to an operator via WiFi.

The S3 series robots enable remote visual inspection of the equipment in case of a substation failure or electrical accidents therein. This precludes the risk of electric shock for electrical substation inspection technicians. Remote inspection of the substation equipment can provide reliable information before the repair team arrives. The new S3.2 robot for electrical substation inspection has fiberglass mast and body, is fitted with high-profile rubber tires. The robot’s overall height is less than that of an average human being. These solutions enhance the robot electrical safety

The inspection robot can optionally be equipped with an UV camera. UV inspection enables to detect high voltage corona phenomenon invisible to the naked human eye. Corona discharges cause power loss and damage to the surrounding hardware. Timely detection and containment of corona discharges will help preclude a substation failure and carry out timely electrical equipment maintenance.

Purchase and operation of an S3 will cost you a hundred times less than any possible losses incurred due to the facilities’ malfunction and damages caused to the electrical power’s consumers and suppliers.

Given all of these economical and safety benefits, the S3 robot is recommended as a standard component for unmanned electrical substations.

Note: The camera takes pictures, and every time a picture is taken, the camera moves by 85% of the previous frame (generating a 15% overlap). This makes it possible to increase the resolution of the final image. After scanning by thermal imager (resolution 320×240) the final image will be ((320 × 240 × 0.85) × 6) × 6

Additional options

Note: Using two-dimensional images taken from several different positions, the computer module can create a three-dimensional model image that the operator can rotate on the computer screen to see all the details. This computer module is the subject of a major development.

Electric energy consumption of the robot during thermal inspection

Number of positions around the inspection object: 6 — 24

Standard consumption using the optional module for a 3D model restoration of the inspected object: 240 W